Fire safety device



April 16, 1935. T. TOLSTAD FIRE SAFETY DEVICE Filed Sept. 4, 1954 I in INVENTOR Tums To LSTAD ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 'l935 FIREH-SAFETY DEVICE y t TuridTol stad, New York; Application September 4, 1934; Serial No. 742,612

' V zl olaims, (01. 227-22) 'This' -invention relates to new and-"useful improvementsin a fire safety device.

- The invention has for anobject the construetion offa device as-mentio-ne'd which is adapted to be mounted upon the upper portion of a winsons from the window. r

dow frame and is capable of safely lowering per- Still further the invention proposes an ai"-' rang'ement wherein a-drum witha cable wound thereon is mounted infth'e window-frame and the -cable" is attached upon the frame, andthe parts are so arranged that z the cable may be window frame. "A spindle I9 for the drum [2 is' utilized to lower "a person from the window.

Still further theinvention' contemplates the provision of a frictionmechanism arrangedto function so' as tdrestrain the lowering of the person'from'taking place 'to'o rapidly:

"Still further the invention proposes the -'con' struction' of a device". as mentioned which is simso plf'and' durable andwhichcan bemanufactured vand'sold at a reasonable cost. 1

' For" further Comprehension "of the invention,

and of the'objec'ts and advantages thereof, refei'ence'willbe had to thelfollowing description 35 and accompanying drawing, and to the appended'claims in Which the various novel features of. theinvention are more particularly set forth."

ln th'e accompanyingjdrawing' forming a ma 39: terial part'of'this disclosure:

" Fig; l is a front elevational view'of a'window frame with a fire safety device constructed ac cordingto this invention." 7

2 is a fragmentary sectionalf view taken 35- on re imen-2' of *Fig. 1 illustrating a carriage and harness used'in' conjunction with the cable of the device. v

' Fig.'f3 is an edge elevational view of the win-v dow frame illustratedin Fig. 1f seen as though ll) lookingin the direction of line. 3 3 of Fig. 1..

view as though taken on the line 6- -6 of Fig; 1.

The safety fire device, according to this invention, is used in conjunction with a window 59 frame it having outer and inner sashes H, or other types of windows. The device comprises a drum l2 with a cable [3 wound thereon and terminating in branches [3' and attached to substantiallystationary parts so that the cable 55 may be unwound from the drum and utilized to spring Zl arranged'coaxially upon the bolt; and

lower'a person'from the window. Preferably, a l carriage and harness'shouldbe used in immune tion with the cable so that a'p erson need notbe strong enough to slide down upon the cable. More particularly, the carriage comprises afframe 5 I5 supporting a pair of pulleys H5 workingin intimate contact uponthe sides'of the cablela'n'd associated with ,a harness I I adapted to be attached around the body or other part of aper-f son.

The device includes a casing [8' which is; attached upon one of the upper corners of the rotatively mounted at one end upon the' window frameiand at the other end. on the casing. The 15 casing has a cover IS. A bolt 2! extends through a horizontal portion of the cover i8 and is associated-with resilient means normally urging it inwards. This resilient means comprises a acting between the. cover and the bolt. One of the'projec'tions l3 of the cable is attached on the extended end of the bolt and the other branch of the cable is attached on the window frameQ' A speed increase unit. is associated with the spindle l9 and is arranged within the casing,"

This speed increase unit comprisesa gear'22 fixeduponthe spindle l9 and meshing with a pinion 23 fixed on a spindle 24: rotative in' the casing 58. A ratchet, wheel 25 is fixed 'uponthe spindle ,24. A smooth periphery wheel 25' is also fixed on the. spindle '24. The arrangement is such that the ratchet wheel 25 and the wheel 26' are rotated at an increased speed to the. drum so that a frictioningelement may serve to're- ;ducethe speed of unwinding of the .drum.

A means is provided for holding the speed in crease unit from operating, and isautomatically releasable on'the extension ofv the bolt :28. This means comprises a leverZ'i pivotally mounted in-- termediately at 28 upon abracketmountedwith in the casing l8. One end of the lever 21 is pivotally connected with the inner end of thebolt 20. The other end of the lever 21 is formed with a downward extending portion terminating an upper branch 21* and a lower branch 21 The upper branch 21* is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 25 for holding the increased speed'unit from operating. A friction device is provided for 're- 5 tarding the operation of the speed increase unit and is automatically operable upon the extension of bolt 2E. This friction device comprises a.friction wheel 39 mounted uponthe portion 21 of the lever and adapted to engage against the periphery of the wheel 26 when the lever 21 is pivoted.

A means is provided for turning the drum I2 to rewind drawn off cable. This means consists of a sprocket Wheel 3! moimted upon the spindle l 9 and connected with a chain 32 engaging over a second sprocket wheel 33 mounted upon the Window frame. The sprocket 33 connects with a shaft terminating in a squared end 34 to receive a turning tool.

The operation of the device may be understood by first considering Fig. 1. A person may lower himself from the window by engaging the harness l1 upon his body and then throwing his weight out of the window. The weightof the person will pull upon the cable which will draw the bolt outwards pivoting the lever 2'! so that the lever portion 2% disengages from the ratchet freeing the drum lZ-to rotate. Simultaneous with the freeing of the drum the friction wheel 313 engages the wheel 26 so as to restrain rapid turning of the drum. In this manner the cable will slowly unwind and leave the person down.

The cable may be rewound when desired by a person engaging a turning tool upon the square end 34 of the shaft connected with the sprocket wheel 33, and then gently drawing upon one of the branches i3 ofthe cable to free the portion 2! of the lever from the ratchet wheel. The turning tool may be operated for rotating the drum 12 to wind the cable thereon.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is topbe understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,fand desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. In conjunction with a Window frame, a drum with a cable wound thereon terminating in a. pair of branches, a casing attached upon the upper corner of saidframe, a spindle for said drum rotative at one end of said frame and at theother end on said casing, a bolt extending from said casing and resiliently urged inwards, one of said cable fportions being attached on the top of said frameand the other on said bolt, a carriage on said cable and equipped with a harness, aspeed increase unit within said casing and connected with said spindle, means for holding said speed increase unit from operating releasable upon ex tension of said belt, a means for turning said drum to rewind drawn off cable.

2. In conjunction with a window, frame, a drum with a cable wound thereon terminating in a pair of branches, a casing attached upon the upper corner of said frame, a spindle for said drum rotative at one end on said frame and at the other end on said casing, a bolt extendingfrom said casing and resiliently urged inwards, one

of said cable portions being attached on the top of said frame and the other on said bolt, a speed increase unit Within said casing and connected with said spindle, means for holding said speed increase unit from operating releasable upon extension of said bolt, a means for turning said drum to rewind drawnoff cable, said speed increase unit comprising a train of gears connected with the spindle and arranged so that the last spindle of the train of gears rotates at an increased speed. 1

3. In conjunction with a window frame, a drum with a cable wound thereon terminating in a pair of branches, a casing attached upon the upper corner of said frame, a spindle for said drum rotative at one end on said frame and at the other end on said casing, a bolt extending from said casing and resiliently urged inwards, one of said cable portions being attached on the top of said frame and the other on said bolt, a speed increase unit within said casing and connected with said spindle, means for holding said speed increase unit from operating releasable upon extension of said bolt, a means for turning said drum to rewind drawn off cable, said speed increase unit comprising a train of gears connected with the spindle and arranged so that the last spindle of the train of gears rotates at an increased speed, said means for holding the speed increase unitfrom operating automatically releasable upon extension of said bolt comprises linkage connected with said bolt and including a member engageable with a ratchet fixed on the last spindle of the speedincrease unit.

4.1m conjunction with a Window frame, a drum with a cable wound thereon terminating in a pair offbranches, a casing attached upon the upper corner of said frame, a spindle for said drum rotative" at one end on said frame and at theother end on said casing, a bolt extending from said casing and resiliently urged inwards,

oneof said cable portions being attached on' the top of said frame and the other on said bolt, a speed increase unit within said casing and connected with said spindle, means for holding said speed increase unit from operating releasable upon extension of said bolt, a'means for turning said drum to rewind drawn oif cable, said .speed increase unit comprising a train of gears mounted upon the last spindle of said speed increase unit.

TURID TOLSTAD. 

